If GBA cleans vacant plots, owners will ave to pay up between ₹25,900 and ₹1.75 lakh

The warning comes as part of the GBA’s ‘Freedom from Waste’ campaign being conducted across the city during August.

Updated - August 10, 2026 08:33 pm IST - Bengaluru

Under the Solid Waste Management Bye-laws, 2020, maintaining vacant sites in a clean and hygienic condition is the responsibility of the property owner, said the GBA Chief Commissioner. | Photo Credit: File photo

Vacant site owners in Bengaluru could have to pay between ₹25,900 and ₹1.75 lakh, depending on the size of their plots, if they fail to clear garbage and debris from their properties by August 15, with the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) warning that the civic bodies will carry out the cleaning and recover the cost along with property tax. The GBA said the charges would be proportionately increased for sites larger than the dimensions specified in the notice.

The warning comes as part of the GBA’s ‘Freedom from Waste’ campaign being conducted across the city during August.

Note: In cases of site dimensions/area exceeding above limit, expenditure proportionate to the site area will be recovered

For instance, for a 20x30 sq. ft. vacant site, the GBA has fixed cleaning charges of ₹6,700 if the site has no compound wall and ₹7,700 if it has one. In addition, transportation charges of up to ₹19,200 will be recovered for the specified site categories. The transportation charges will go up to ₹1.28 lakh if a site measures 50x80 sq. ft.

Pointing out that under the Solid Waste Management Bye-laws, 2020, maintaining vacant sites in a clean and hygienic condition is the responsibility of the property owner, GBA Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao has directed all owners to remove all waste and debris from their vacant sites by August 15 and dispose of it only at locations “designated by the corporations”. Owners can also engage agencies notified by the respective corporations for cleaning and disposal, GBA said.

Criticising the move, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka called it a “new loot” by the Congress government in the name of keeping Bengaluru clean. Arguing the charges were exorbitant, he termed it an “anti-people move”.

“No one is against keeping Bengaluru clean. But in the name of cleanliness, why is the CM cutting into the pockets of Bengalureans?” he asked. Arguing that the Congress government had imposed new taxes and cesses, he asked Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda whether the government was now looking at even vacant plots as a source of revenue.

Published - August 10, 2026 07:13 pm IST

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